Venezuela Asserts Strong Backing for Incorporating Oil-Rich Guyana Territory : Analysis

Venezuela Claims Public Support in Referendum Over Oil-Rich Guyana Region

Venezuela announced on Monday that it has received significant public support to take control of the oil-rich region of Essequibo, located across the border in Guyana. The referendum result comes after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) warned Venezuela against any form of “annexation” of the territory, which has historically been under the rule of Guyana.

President Nicolas Maduro addressed his supporters in the capital and declared the referendum a “total success” for Venezuelan democracy. However, Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali assured the nation that his government is committed to protecting the country’s borders and stated that there’s no reason for concern in the coming days, months, or years ahead.

President Maduro claimed a high level of participation in the referendum, but media reports indicate that there were only a few voters at polling stations during the voting period.

The National Electoral Council in Venezuela reported that over 10.5 million votes were counted after the voting ended on Sunday. However, it remains unclear whether this figure represents the number of voters or the sum of all answers, as the electoral council did not provide an explanation.

The intentions of Maduro in implementing the results of the vote also remain unclear.

The referendum was held in Venezuela following the ICJ’s call for the country to refrain from actions that could change the status quo in the region. International court president Joan E Donoghue expressed concerns that Venezuela’s government is taking steps to gain control of the disputed territory, citing the announcement of concrete measures by Venezuelan military officials to construct an airstrip for the development of Essequibo.

Guyana has always been concerned that this referendum might serve as an excuse for Venezuela to claim their land. Paul Reichler, an American lawyer representing Guyana, argued that the annexation of the disputed territory is evident based on the collective decision made in the referendum.

Essequibo is larger than Greece and holds significant mineral resources. It also provides access to a portion of the Atlantic where ExxonMobil discovered oil in commercial quantities in 2015, catching the attention of the Venezuelan government.

Venezuela asserts its ownership of Essequibo based on historical boundaries during the Spanish colonial era, while Guyana insists on respecting the border determined by an arbitration panel in Paris in 1899 and claims that Venezuela originally agreed to the ruling before changing its stance in 1962.

Source: Aljazeera news: Venezuela claims large support for annexing oil-rich Guyana territory